“We want to attack this competition" says boss who'll pick a strong XI and try to exploit fact the Ukrainians haven't played a serious game in two months

No excuses: January's signing spree has given Pardew a much deeper squad

Alan Pardew has signaled his Newcastle side’s intention to “attack” the Europa League as the knockout stage begins this week - despite their ongoing domestic relegation battle.

Toon boss Pardew has vowed to choose his strongest possible team for Thursday's last-32 home leg against Metalist Kharkiv, because he now has a squad capable of coping with injuries.

Pardew has had a poor record in knock-out ties since taking charge of the Geordies, but reckons his line-up against the Ukranians will be his best yet.

Earlier in the season, Pardew conceded he was embarrassed by the strength of the squad at his disposal for European and domestic Cup games as he fretted about injuries, fatigue and trying to bring through some youngsters.

But following the arrival in January of five new players at a combined cost of £17million, Pardew is feeling bold enough to try to go all the way in Europe while balancing the twin pressure of keeping the Magpies in the Premier League.

One hitch is that Pardew was only allowed to name either Mathieu Debuchy or Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa in his Euro squad (clubs are only allowed to field one new player who has previously played in the Champions League).

Mbiwa got the nod because of his versatility across the back four.

In addition to Debuchy, fellow newcomer Yoan Gouffran is also cup-tied.

Pardew said: “We want to attack this competition. The team will be the strongest it can be.

“The two wins recently in the league has given us a bit of breathing space.

"We got there in the end by signing in January which has given us a platform and a squad which is so much bigger, whereas before we didn’t have that luxury. We can enter this competition with a strong hand.

“If you think I took my eye off the competition before Christmas, I didn’t. I was just trying to get through the group and make sure we had the strongest team for the league because we had such injury problems.

"I am sure we could have won the group but for that.

“I’ve been bit unfortunate with injuries in cups, but not this time.”

Metalist won a group containing Germany's Bayer Leverkusen by winning four games and drawing one. However, they are two months into a winter break and searching for full fitness.

Newcastle watched them play a friendly against non-League Whitley Bay on Sunday and were impressed by the South American contingent who will make up the bulk of their starting XI.

Pardew wants the St James’ Park crowd to show patience on Thursday, because the tempo of the European game is slower than the Premier League's - he is also wary of their counter attacking prowess.

Yanga-Mbiwa will make his first start since he arrived from Montpellier, probably at right-back in Debuchy's absence.

“There a renewed vigour in the squad with the new players and today was one of the coldest days in the North East I have experienced and it got everyone a bit lively in training," Pardew added on Wednesday.

“We are going up a level in opposition - Metalist are bit stronger than Bordeaux [who topped Newcastle's group-phase pool] and this is a huge test for us.

“Ten South American players start, that’s the team we envisage - real high technical quality and real high quality players. We need to be focused. Any slip of concentration, like at Tottenham [in Saturday's defeat] will be costly.

“There is no reason we can’t gain European football next year - that is how confident we feel about the group. It is about making sure our end of season is very strong.”

Keeper Tim Krul made his Newcastle first team debut in the UEFA Cup - the Europa League's predecessor - as a teenager in November 2006, and feels European nights are “special”.

“The league is our main aim - it is normal - but Europa League is exciting to be in and it will be great for Newcastle to be in there a long time," he said.

“The new signings are settling in quickly. It was massive boost for everybody to get players of such quality. It is nice to see new faces and it is easier for them with a few French lads here.

“It is a massive game, first the home leg, and we have to be on top of our game straight away.

"Juventus won 3-0 at Celtic [in the first eg of a Champions League last16 tie on Tuesday] and it looks like game over, so we have to be at the races.”